(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In Jan 2017, pangasius exports reached US$120.05 million, decreased 19.6% compared with that of Jan 2016. Two major markets like the US and the EU accounting for 32% of total pangasius value of Vietnam also reduced importing pangasius in Jan.

The reason for the decline was the antidumping duty and low demand from main markets, rise in the price of raw pangasius.

In Can Tho city and some provinces of Mekong river delta like An Giang, Dong Thap, Ben Tre, raw pangasius price type 1 (white meat, size 700-900 gram/piece) costed VND22,800 – 23,000/kg, raw pangasius price type 2 costed VND22,000 – 22,500/kg, VND1,000/kg higher than that of the previous month. The rise in raw pangasius price was attributable to lower supply and processors boosted purchasing raw material to meet orders. The price of raw fish is predicted to continue increasing in the next time.

Pangasius exports to the US- the largest market of Vietnam pangasius, accouting for 16.6% of the totals, reached US$19.9 million, declined 40.9% compared to the same period of last year.

In the month, Vietnam pangasius exports to the EU reached US$19.4 million, decreased 22% compared with that of Jan 2016. The EU is the second largest importer, occupying 16.2% of the totals. If exports to the US keeps decreasing, the EU may become the largest market of Vietnam pangasius.

In the first 10 months of 2016, the EU imported Vietnam frozen pangasius fillet with the volume of nearly 80,000 MT, lower than that of the same period of 2015. The import price of this product from Vietnam also decreased. The average import price reached more 2 EUR/kg while it was 2,25 EUR/kg in the same period of 2015.